LAKE BENTON, Minn. – Be their guest as the Lake Benton Opera House presents Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” in 10 performances through Aug. 6.
Shows started Thursday and are also set for Friday through Sunday, July 28-30, and again Wednesday through Sunday, Aug. 2-6. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. every day except Sundays, which start at 2 p.m., plus there’s additional 2 p.m. matinee Saturday, Aug. 5. Ticket prices range from $5 to $13.
Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” has played to more than 35 million people worldwide in 13 countries. Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature, the stage version includes all of the songs written by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, along with new songs by Menken and Tim Rice. The original Broadway production ran for more than 13 years and was nominated for nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
The classic story tells of Belle (played by Emilirose Rasmusson of Ivanhoe, Minn.), a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast (Taylor Holck of Ruthton, Minn.), who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed into his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity.
The production will also star Adam Madsen of Tyler, Minn., as Gaston; Taylor Engel of Marshall, Minn., as LeFou; Eric Fish of Lake Benton as Lumiere; Tom Schmitt of Porter, Minn., as Cogsworth; Katie Roberts of Tyler as Madame de la Grande Bouche (The Wardrobe); Becky Peterson of Ruthton as Mrs. Potts; Sophie Peterson of Ruthton as Chip; Jocelyn Klein of Tyler as Babette; Stephen Rasmusson of Marshall as Maurice; Mary Jean Porter of Marshall as the Narrator; and Gaston’s Silly Girls, played by Dajza Gilmore of Tyler, Brooke Thomsen of Tyler, Emma Kampmann of Elkton, Holly Juutilainen of Marshall and Liz Voit of Ghent, Minn., all included in a cast of more than 50 from throughout the area. The play is under the direction of Mark Wilmes of Tyler, with choreography by Sonya Karels of Glendale, Calif., costume design by Sandy Hanson of Tyler, tech design by Nate Gates of Brookings and accompaniment by Bev Swift of Balaton, Minn., Lorilee Malecha of Tyler and Ryan Juutilainen of Marshall.
Tickets can be purchased by calling 507-368-4620, emailing lakebentonoperahouse@gmail.com or logging on to www.lakebentonoperahouse.org.
